Too Late, Mr. Potts: You Lost Us Forever

e height every woman supposedly desired: marri

y husband brought her child home and orde

esslike tone, casually handing me a twenty-million-dollar compensation agreement and the

to cry, to beg. I refused. The day I married into the Potts family, I understood the rule: a troph

ile treating me like a disposable ghost. He truly believed I was just a spineless, decora

her and son, not even bothering to pretend anymore. I

arvard Law School and gave birth to my daughter there alone. He thought he was dealing with a nuisance, complete

pte

lia

nd brought home his first love's child an

oy's shoelaces. When he stood up, the tenderness on his face instantly switched to a bus

m. In every photograph of Aurora Nelson that Brendan kept locked in his

e slip, then up at

red died in his throat. He stared at my face

into my palms, the sharp pain f

ophy wife business, you only care about money, not matters of the heart. Brendan had

fort me-issue the order first, then dispense a lit

ncealed hint of surprise. "You're being very reasonabl

id "compensate"-anything that could be s

ischarge record with an official stamp: Surgical termination of pregnancy completed. I s

d handed the document to Brendan. He

ars, has already been wired to your account." He pushed two documents toward me, his to

e, sorrow, anger, anything. He needed confi

gned my name without hesit

ghtly. He had been waiting for me to be devastated so he coul

give him the

uest room. Brendan stepped out o

re you

m the master bedroom. I don't

t shoes. "Aurora called earlier. She wanted to k

ould you send h

a long pause, he spoke. "

" he added, his voice dropping low. "Sh

er she wants, you've already taken care of it fo

mouth, but all he managed to squeeze out was

ever mattered?" I asked

ose. "The real estate lawyers will finish the deed r

ncy." I closed the door an

ing the final document, they pulled out an extra one. "Mr. Potts has ad

looked up at Brendan. He put do

iet for a while, right?" A self-satis

o the signature page and signing my name. The scratch of the pen

om. "I'm taking Jaxon to the club for lunch. You should come with u

y as if he were checking on a patient w

follow-up appointment a

His shoulders stiffened, a fl

take you in the Maybac

other glance, I brush

perfectly healthy. The heartbeat is strong, and all developmental marker

printout into the hidden

Brendan: Check-up went smoo

d. What do you want for dinner?

List the penthouse off-market this week, cash buyers only. Also, find me the best

Jackie replied wi

th a nuisance. Little did he